Atletico Madrid have moved closer to securing the fourth and final Champions League spot with a 1-0 win over Celta Vigo in the Spanish league.
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Rodrigo De Paul scored Sunday's 84th-minute winner for Atletico, who opened an eight-point gap to fifth-place Athletic Bilbao with three rounds remaining. Athletic were held at home to a 2-2 draw with Osasuna on Saturday.
"You know me, we have to keep improving until the end," Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said. "We have to keep fighting no matter what."
It was the third win in a row for Atletico, who are three points behind third-place Barcelona. The Catalan club host seventh-place Real Sociedad on Monday.
Celta, who have lost three of their last five games, dropped to 17th place and five points above the relegation zone. Rayo Vallecano moved to 16th, also five points from danger, after a 0-0 draw at eighth-place Valencia.
Real Betis beat last-place Almeria 3-2 at home to move to sixth place and strengthen their hold on the European qualifying spots.
Pablo Fornals, Isco and Ayoze Perez scored for Betis.
Cadiz, sitting in 18th place, kept alive their hopes of escaping demotion with a 1-0 win against midtable Getafe.
Ruben Alcaraz scored the winner for the hosts by converting a 35th-minute penalty kick.
It was Cadiz's first win after a run of three losses and a draw.
Real Madrid, who clinched their 36th league title last weekend, won 4-0 at Granada on Saturday. The Spanish powerhouse celebrated on Sunday by parading through the city.
The celebrations did not take place last weekend because Madrid played Bayern Munich on Wednesday in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals. Madrid advanced to their second Champions League final in three seasons.
Australian Associated Press
